Shaun Murphy suggests he’s got plenty to ponder following his defeat to Mark Allen in the Scottish Open final.

The former world champion went down 9-7 against Dafabet Masters champ Allen in Glasgow on Sunday. Murphy was in the driving seat when he led 7-6, but Allen rallied strongly.

The Magician failed to capitalise on an opening in the penultimate frame where he could have forced a decider, giving Murphy food for thought.

“I had my chance to make it 8-8 and I scored 29 points. If you look at the great champions and legends they seize those opportunities,” Murphy said. “Perhaps that is why I don’t have the same trophy cabinet that some of them do.”

Murphy has won seven ranking titles in his career, including all three of snooker’s Triple Crown events, but he makes no secret of the fact that it hurts badly when failing to close out from a seemingly strong position.

“Losing hurts. It doesn’t matter what level you are at. It doesn’t matter who you are,” he added. “We are playing to win. That is what champions do, they find a gear. I had Mark bang to rights at 7-6 and he found a way to win.”

Murphy is back in action on Wednesday in the German Masters qualifiers in Barnsley when he faces Martin O’Donnell. Success there could provide a timely boost for the Rotherham potter.

The German Masters is the final counting event in the race to reach the Coral World Grand Prix in February, featuring the top 32 players on the one-year ranking list. Murphy’s appearance in the Glasgow final shot him up from 65th to 31st in the rankings with the prizemoney he banked.

Murphy is 1.36 to defeat O’Donnell on Wednesday, with the latter available at 2.88 for the win.